Washington was soon on the way to Boston by the very route he had gone nearly twenty years before. But how different the journey! Then he was a Virginia colonel. Now he was the honored commander of all the American armies. Then only a few friends were with him. Now congressmen, citizens of Philadelphia, and great crowds cheered him on the way. Only twenty miles out from Philadelphia, they met the news from Bunker Hill. When Washington heard how the Americans faced the British bayonets, and twice forced the Redcoats to retreat, he exclaimed: "The liberties of the country are safe!" [Sidenote: =Took command of the army, July 3, 1775=] Through New Jersey he was hailed by the people with delight. A military procession escorted him through New York City, where he appointed that noble general, Philip Schuyler, to take command in New York. The students at Yale gave him a real college welcome--a parade with a band and student songs. On Cambridge Common, under the famous Harvard Elm, on July 3, 1775, Washington drew his sword and took command of the Continental army. There was a great task before him. He had to drill the troops, collect cannon from Ticonderoga, which Americans had captured, and get ready to drive the British out of Boston. [Illustration: A COLLEGE WELCOME AT YALE] [Sidenote: =A bloodless victory=] It took all winter to do these things. One night in March, 1776, Washington secretly sent some of his best troops to build a fort on Dorchester Heights. The next morning Howe, the new British general, saw Washington's cannon pointing down on his army and ships. He immediately put his army on board and sailed away. This was a victory without a fight. [Illustration: WASHINGTON TAKING COMMAND OF THE ARMY] [Sidenote: =Washington outwits Howe=] Washington took his army to New York, and built a fort on Long Island to protect the city. He was none too quick, for Howe came with thirty thousand men and many war ships. In the battle on Long Island a part of Washington's army was defeated. General Howe planned to capture the defeated troops next day, but Washington was too shrewd. In the night he collected all the boats in that region and rowed his army over to New York before the British knew what he was doing. [Sidenote: =New York captured=] The great British army and fleet took the city, but by the help of a patriotic lady, Mrs. Murray, who entertained General Howe and his officers too long for their own good, all of Washington's regiments got away safely up the Hudson. During the fall of 1776, General Howe tried to get above Washington's army and capture it. But he did neither, for Washington's troops defeated the British both at Harlem Heights and at White Plains. [Illustration: ENTERTAINING GENERAL HOWE AND HIS OFFICERS _At Murray Hill, then a great farmstead, now the heart of New York City, Mrs. Murray entertained them so delightfully two hours slipped away, and the Americans were out of reach_] [Sidenote: =Heroic Nathan Hale=]